Monday, March 12, 2007

"Faux News" Debate & Kos' Reign

Given that I read and watch SOOOO many articles each day, I think I have been numbed a bit. It's not very often that something sticks with me, but this story did:

It all started with Roger Ailes (Fox CEO) likening the name Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden (NEVERMIND THAT TEDDY KENNEDY AND ROSIE O'DONNELL HAVE BOTH DONE THE SAME THING) --and the inevitable "he went to far" (picture finger wagging) statement was issued by Nevada DNC chairman Tom Collins and Harry Reid.

First the Nevada State Democratic Party pulled out and then John Edwards:

"We will not be participating in the Fox News debate." Edwards' Deputy Campaign Manager Jonathan Prince said in an e-mail to Moulitsas, "We're definitely going to debate in Nevada, but we don't see why this needs to be one of them." (source)

Now, if you think this really has anything to do with Ailes' joke I have a bridge to sell you. This is about the far left'o'sphere testing the scope of their power over the party. And it would seem it's vast.

After Ailes' statement the Kos Kids and Moveon.org mobilized their well-rehearsed simulated indignation...and got results. "According to MoveOn, more than 265,000 people signed a petition sent to the Nevada State Democratic Party."

Kos said the movement was meant to "to deprive the right wing's premier propaganda outlet an easy opportunity to take cheap shots at our guys."

The reason this bothers me so much goes straight to the "liberal bias in the MSM" debate. Even if FNC leans more to the right -they do present both views -and EVERY other outlet leans more to the left. Even if FNC itself isn't always fair and balanced, it attempts to balance out the rest of the coverage. AND, FNC doesn't have DIRECT ties to the RNC the way that other networks have to the DNC. It's all smoke and mirrors.

--Tom Browkaw was being considered as a VP for John Kerry--Christiane Amanpour's husband was an advisor on John Kerry's campaign--Dan Rather and Chris Matthews are unabashed partisans--Barbara Walters has been an invited guest-of-honor at moveon.org events--Katie Couric is a close friend of Hillary Clinton

As I sit here and write this I begin to wonder what I was so upset about...as long as the DNC lets the lunatic fringe dictate its moves, we should be able to run Jerry Falwell and win... Then again, maybe I'm just jealous I don't wield that kind of power ;)